Ever since the repeal of a 26-year old federal law in 2018 set the stage for nationwide regulated sports betting in the US, the country’s many markets have proven tough to stand in for overseas companies. A notable exception is bet365.
In an exclusive interview with SBC News, Stephanie De Flora, bet365’s Chief Marketing Officer, reflects that the company has benefited from extensive international experience – but that it also recognised the unique conditions the US markets presented early on.
“bet365 entered the US market with the advantage of a long-established global product and operational foundation, but we also understood early on that success in North America would require more than replicating a UK model,” De Flora says.
“Our success has come from focusing on the serious sports fans, understanding what is important to them, and delivering a premium product experience through our depth of markets, competitive odds, live betting, and early payout offer.”
bet365’s stateside journey so far
Founded in Staffordshire, UK, in 2000 by Denise Coates, bet365 has become one the stalwarts of online betting not just in the UK but internationally. In 2019, it added the US to its global portfolio of nations, and in April this year made Michigan its 17th state.
In the eight years since PASPA was repealed, the US has become a hugely valuable territory for the gaming industry, with the American Gaming Association (AGA) expecting Americans to wager some $3.3bn on this year’s NCAA March Madness basketball alone.
It’s no surprise that overseas companies wanted to get in on this activity, but that is easier said than done. Many other international firms have tried to do what bet365 has done in the US, but have had to cut their losses and withdraw.
Britain’s Betfred called it quits in July last year, Sweden’s Kindred Group called it time in Q2 2024, Germany’s Tipico ultimately sold up to MGM Resorts, and Super Group pulled the plug on its US activity last summer.
The company’s experience and product has undoubtedly been central to this. So too has marketing, however, with advertising campaigns and partnerships carefully chosen to resonate with the audience in each state.
“Every market presents unique challenges based on the regulatory environment, competitive intensity, and customer behavior that can differ significantly state by state,” says De Flora. “Our focus has been to localise our marketing and understand our customers in each particular state.”
Central to this localisation is of course sponsorships, a cornerstone of betting marketing across the world – in countries where it is still allowed at least. In bet365’s case, the firm has underpinned its gradual expansion of the US with local partnerships.
The firm’s launch in Colorado was backed by deals with the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL), for example.
When it entered Missouri, the brand partnered with the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Not everything is local, however, with the firm having also partnered with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in a US and Canada-focused deal.
In a market stacked full of local competitors – Flutter Entertainment‘s FanDuel, DraftKings, Fanatics, and Entain and MGM’s BetMGM – setting its brand out from the crowd has been one of bet365’s biggest tests. It’s also one the company has taken on with stride.
“A big challenge of ours is building brand awareness in an incredibly crowded and fast-moving category,” says De Flora. “We’ve focused on establishing a distinct, consistent identity that stands out through product, experience, and trust, while preserving our 25 year history.”
bet365 and the new American landscape
Change is on the horizon in North American betting, in a few different ways.
All stakeholders, bet365 included, are finding themselves navigating a rapidly shifting landscape with the growth of prediction markets, and the state vs federal legal battle that is emerging as a result.
Some of the industry’s biggest players have decided to join the craze. Fanatics was the first to launch a predictions platform in early December 2025, closely followed by DraftKings and then FanDuel.
Bet365 has not made this move, however. Although it did opt to leave the AGA earlier this year, the AGA being one of the biggest opponents of predictions, the firm attributed this to the trade body’s focus on retail casino operations, while it is at heart an online sportsbook-led company.
Amid the conversations around predictions, bet365 is staying on the same course, and that has included its marketing. In March 2026 it launched its first large-scale advertising campaign, ‘Winning is Everything’, targeting the US and Canada.
“The campaign has helped elevate awareness of bet365 as a sportsbook for serious sports fans and casino customers in both the US and Canada,” De Flora says. “It’s given us a strong platform to celebrate our customers’ passion while reinforcing the product experience that differentiates us.
“We’ve seen strong engagement across channels, particularly around major sports moments tied to the campaign rollout, like our UFC partnership and new state launches.”
The rise of prediction markets, chiefly Kalshi and Polymarket but also others like Robinhood and Crypto.com, has attracted a lot of political scrutiny. While the White House may be a stalwart defender of predictions, many congresspeople are not.
Many of these same congresspeople are not entirely on board with the regulated betting industry either, however. As with any maturing market, the US has seen various politicians voice concerns about the industry’s societal impact.
In a letter to sports leagues in April, Democratic Party Senator for Connecticut, Richard Blumenthal, wrote that “gambling has permeated every aspect of the game” since PASPA was repealed in 2018.
Similar sentiment was echoed during a senate committee hearing on betting and predictions in May, with Democratic Senator John Hickenlooper of Colorado saying “it’s specifically dangerous for minors to get into sports betting and especially prediction markets”.
For the likes of bet365, a logical conclusion to this would be ensuring responsible gaming principles and messaging are promoted in its advertising and in its partnerships with prominent sports clubs.
“Responsible gaming must be integral to the overall business, not an afterthought,” says De Flora.
“From a marketing standpoint, all our campaigns undergo an internal compliance review and adhere to strict advertising standards, including age gating and responsible gaming messaging.
“We want customers to understand that responsibility and entertainment can coexist by encouraging informed, controlled play.”
Canadian considerations
Predictions aside, there’s one other big topic on the minds of the North American gambling industry right now.
This is Alberta, which in July will become the second Canadian province to launch a regulated, multi-licence betting and gaming market. The launch comes just over four years after Ontario became the first in April 2022.
Ontario has become one of the most valuable betting markets in North America, with CA$4.04 billion (£2.21bn) in gaming revenue in 2025 alone. It is also one home to a number of international operators, including bet365.
“For each new market we enter, we take time to understand customer preferences, the local teams, and make sure we are compliant with regulations so our campaigns resonate with the local audience,” De Flora reflects on bet365’s experience of Ontario.
“We identified areas of focus around key moments of the year, leveraging our NHL, Woodbine, and broadcast partnerships to differentiate bet365 amongst the pack. We’ve focused our messaging around the product with long-term brand building tailored to the local audience.”
Alberta’s market will open up on 13 July 2026. More than 31 sportsbooks and casinos have registered for a licence with Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), including heavy hitters like DraftKings and Super Group – the latter is planning on launching six brands.
Given its international history and experience, bet365 is going into Alberta with confidence, but also with awareness.
“We’re not interested in copying and pasting the same strategies for different markets,” De Flora adds. “We recognise that customers across regions have distinct preferences, betting habits, and product expectations, so there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
“Alberta will be another opportunity for us to understand the specifics of the market and tailor our strategy accordingly. Success comes from staying agile, understanding local audiences, and consistently delivering a premium experience through product quality and responsible gaming.”
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Stephanie De Flora is one of many high profile gambling industry figures who will be speaking at the SBC Summit Americas, taking place between 9-11 June 2026 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
“I think the conversation is shifting from rapid expansion to sustainable growth. Marketing will play a central role in that evolution,” she said, when asked by SBC News about what some of the key talking points from the event will be.
“Operators will need to build deeper emotional connections with customers while also demonstrating credibility, trust, and responsibility, and that’s exactly what bet365 is focusing on.”
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